MARYSVILLE — Finding someone with as much knowledge of Tommahawk swimming as Scott Knowles would be impossible, but Merideth Jenks is about as close as it gets.

Replacing a 30-year coach is no easy feat, but it helps that Jenks was Knowles’ assistant for nine years, works with the Mighty Marlins club team and was even a Marysville-Pilchuck swimmer in the ‘90s.

“This is such a great community that I still have a lot of ties to,” said Jenks of M-P. “When I was at college, I didn’t necessarily think about (coming back to) Marysville, but I’m excited and happy to be here.”

Jenks’ ties do run deep.

So deep in fact, that one need to look no further than her immediate family to find that her youngest brother, Spencer Girard, is M-P’s sole returning individual state placer.

Girard, now a senior, placed fourth in the 100 breaststroke last season, while qualifying for the 200 IM, and will lead M-P’s Wesco North title defense, as the Tommies ran the table (7-0) against their competition.

“Spencer has been working a lot throughout the offseason and he’s not just faster, but he’s put on some muscle too,” said Jenks.

But he will have help, as he was a member of the fourth-place 200 IM relay team that also featured junior Josh Estella. Estella also qualified for the 100-yard butterfly, and was a member of the qualifying 400 freestyle relay team, along with senior Robbie Haynes.

Meanwhile, senior Connor Hemming will try to be the latest of a tradition of M-P swimmers that qualify for state in both a swimming and diving event.

“Connor has the talent for both,” said Jenks. “And we’ve just had a bunch of guys that have really liked doing both.”

Last season, Hemming qualified for the 100 breaststroke final.

Jenks said she expects swimmers Drew Preston, Colin Willis and Andrew Lindquist to help provide a boost.

The Tommies finished 10th at last year’s state meet in Knowles’ final season. While success is obviously a trait Jenks hopes to continue, she also plans on continuing Knowles’ personal touch.

“He just knew the boys so well,” she said. “He knew all of their best times, and knew who they were outside of the pool because he was able to talk to them at anytime.”